Card carrier form for receipt of at least one automatically insertable card

Abstract: The mailing form for carrying at least one card comprises a flexible planar body (82) with one section (88) connected at a fold line (84) to another section (90) for supporting at least one card; and a pair of rectilinear slots (104, 106) cut in the body to form a pair of opposed corner pockets (98, 100) spaced from the fold line (84) for receipt of opposed corners of the card to hold the card adjacent the fold line, each rectilinear slot having a pair of spaced slot sections (108, 110) parallel to each other and a cross slot section (112) transversely extending between the pair of parallel spaced slot sections, said slot sections having a pair of distal ends respectively on opposite sides of the cross slot section, said other section (90) foldable over the one section (88) to block removal of the corners of cards from the corner pockets.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention is related to a card carrier form to which is mounted at least one credit card and the like for mailing and, particularly, to such a carrier form in which the card is mounted automatically by mechanical, nonadhesive means. It is well known to mount or insert credit cards and the like to planar card carrier forms made of paper which, in turn, are inserted into window envelopes. The carriers each have a pair of parallel, preweakened fold lines which divide the carrier body into three substantially equal sections: a leading end section, middle section and a lagging section. The cards are mounted to the middle section and the carrier is folded along the fold lines to fold the leading and lagging sections over opposite sides of the middle section. One of the end sections bears the card owners name and address, and the folded carrier form matches the size of a window envelope in which the carrier form is "stuffed" or inserted. The name and address on the end section is held in alignment by the envelope for viewing through a translucent window of the envelope. In known carriers shown in U.S. Patents No. 4,384,196 issued May 17, 1983 to McCumber et al. and No. 4,034,210 issued July 5, 1977 to Hill et al., the card is held against removal from a pocket formed from a cut in the body of the carrier by wedge trapping of at least one of two opposed edges of the card by folding the end sections over the opposed edges of the card at opposite sides of the middle section. In the carrier of McCumber et al., a pair of corner pockets are also formed by open slots cut out of the card body. These corner pockets disadvantageously have unattractive entry holes or open slots that result in the production of chaff when the carriers are made and present an unattractive appearance. In addition the pockets are formed by cuts extending along diagonal lines which disadvantageously requires the use of oscillating arms to open the pockets during insertion. In the carrier form of Hill et al. on the other hand, the entire card is inserted through a single edge slot and both edges are wedge trapped by the ends section on opposite sides of the middle section of the body. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide a card carrying mailing form, or carrier, with features which overcome the disadvantage of known carriers noted above. This objective is achieved in part by providing a mailing form for carrying at least one card, comprising : a flexible planar body with one section connected at a fold line to another section for supporting at least one card, and a pair of rectilinear slots cut in the body to form a pair of opposed corner pockets spaced from the fold line for receipt of opposed corners of the card to hold the card adjacent the fold line, each rectilinear slot having a pair of spaced slot sections parallel to each other and a cross slot section transversely extending between the pair of parallel spaced slot sections, said slot sections having a pair of distal ends respectively on opposite sides of the cross slot section, said other section foldable over the one section to block removal of the corners of cards from the corner pockets. Preferably, each of the pair of parallel slot sections includes an inside slot and an outside slot; the distance between the outside slots of the pair of parallel slot sections is sufficiently greater than the dimensions of a card to enable receipt of multiple cards; the card carrying mailing form includes another pair of rectilinear slots in the one section of the body like the one pair of rectilinear slots to hold at least another card; the cross slot section extends between adjacent ends of the pair of parallel slot sections ; and card slots are formed from substantially closed cuts. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing objects and advantageous features of the invention will be explained in greater detail and others will be made apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention which is given with reference to the two figures of the drawings, in which: Fig. 1A is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a carrier according to the present invention, in folded condition in which the cards are held in corner pockets by means of a sectional fold at the periphery of the carrier body which blocks removal of the cards from the pockets when folded; and Fig. 1B is an enlarged detailed view of the carrier of Fig. 1A prior to folding. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to Fig. 1A, a preferred embodiment of a card carrying form, or carrier, 80 which has a rectangular planar body 82 made of resilient paper which normally maintains a planar configuration. Carrier 80 has a leading preweakened fold line 84 and a lagging preweakened, fold line 86 to divide the planar body 82 into three substantially equal rectilinear sections: a leading end section 88, a middle section 90 and a lagging end section 92. The cards are held in pairs of cooperating pockets 98 and 100 by folding the front side of the leading end section 88 over the front side of the middle section 90 and the cards 30. The address field 94 and the code field 96 are not viewable after the carrier is folded as shown in Fig. 1B, since, the carrier 80 has the name and address field 94 and the code field 96 located on the front side of the lagging end section 92 for the address and name and code to be viewed. The back side of the lagging end section 92 is folded over the back side of the middle section 90 with the front side of the lagging end section 92 facing downwardly, as shown in Fig. 1A. Consequently, in order to have the name and address field 94 and the code field 96 facing upwardly after folding, the carrier form is flipped over prior to stuffing into an envelope with an upwardly facing window. The opposed corner pockets 98 and 100 are mirror images of one another and are separated from each other by sufficient distance to hold at least one card therebetween, and are preferably capable of holding two cards, with a Leading card edge 102 adjacent fold line 84. The corner pockets 98 and 100 are formed by a pair of rectilinear slot 104 and 1106, respectively. Each rectilinear slot 104 and 106 has a pair of straight slot sections: an outside slot section 108A and 108B and inside slot sections 110A and 110B which are located parallel to each other and cross slot sections 112A and 112B transversely extending between the pair of parallel spaced slot sections 108A and 110A and 108B and 110B, respectively. The distance between the outside parallel slot sections 108A and 108B and the spacing between parallel slot sections 108A and 110A, and between 108B and 110B, enables receipt of multiple cards within the pockets 98 and 100 in stacked overlying relationship. As seen in Fig. 1B, preferably the cross sections 112A and 112B extend between adjacent ends of the pair of associated slot sections 108A and 110A and 108B and 110B to form an opening for receipt of the corner of the card 30. These cross sections are opened, i.e. moved laterally away from the plane of the planar body preferably by means of pushing portion 82' of the planar body intermediate the inside sections 110A and 110B. Additionally, unlike the carrier of McCumber et al. which have diagonal cuts forming pockets instead of rectilinear cuts forming the pocket, the rectilinear cuts 110A and 110B are parallel to the direction of movement of the carrier form 80 during automatic insertion. This advantageously enables the opening of the pockets passing the carrier form 80 over a roller with opposite end edges located adjacent the inside parallel cuts 110A and 110B. After the cards are inserted fully into the pockets 98 and 100, as shown in Fig. 1B, the carrier 80 passes from the roller and the leading end section 88 is folded over the edge 102 of the card 30 to keep it in the pockets. Employing the carrier form to maximum advantage is achieved through use of automated equipment to insert cards and fold the carrier. Suitable automated insertion is shown and described in the parent of this application noted above as well as in U.S. Patent Applications Serial No. 08/036,657 of Hill et al. entitled "Automatic Verified Embossed Card Package Production Methods" filed March 24, 1993; Ser. No. 08/036,159 of Hill et al. entitled "Card Package Production System With Burster and Carrier Verification Apparatus" filed March 24, 1993; Ser. No. 08/036,664 of Hill et al. entitled "Embossed Card Production System With Modular Inserters For Multiple Forms and Card Verification Apparatus" filed March 24, 1993 and Ser. No. 08/036,439 of Kassabian et al. entitled "Card Package Production System With Modular Carrier Folding Apparatus For Multiple Forms" filed March 24, 1993, all of which are contemporaneously filed herewith, and reference should be made to these applications for details of authorized use of the carrier form. Reference should be made to the aforementioned patent applications filed herewith for details of preferred embodiments of the carrier package production system which are designed to employ carrier form 80. Briefly, as noted, a roller with edges adjacent the slot section 110A and 110B is preferably employed to open the pockets 98 and 100. While a detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been given, it should be appreciated that many variations can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims: A mailing form for carrying at least one card, comprising: a flexible planar body (82) with one section (88) connected at a fold line (84) to another section (90) for supporting at Least one card; and a pair of rectilinear slots (104, 106) cut in the body to form a pair of opposed corner pockets (98, 100) spaced from the fold line (84) for receipt of opposed corners of the card to hold the card adjacent the fold line, each rectilinear slot having a pair of spaced slot sections (108, 110) parallel to each other and a cross slot section (112) transversely extending between the pair of parallel spaced slot sections, said slot sections having a pair of distal ends respectively on opposite sides of the cross slot section, said other section (90) foldable over the one section (88) to block removal of the corners of cards from the corner pockets. The card carrying mailing form according to claim 1, in which each of the pair of parallel slot sections (108, 110) includes an inside slot (110) and an outside slot (108). The card carrying mailing form according to claim 2, in which the distance between the outside slots (108) of the pair of parallel slot sections (108, 110) is sufficiently greater than the dimensions of a card to enable receipt of multiple cards. The card carrying mailing form according to any one of claims 1 to 3, including another pair of rectilinear slots (104, 106) in the one section (90) of the body (82) like the one pair of rectilinear slots to hold at least another card. The card carrying mailing form according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the cross slot section (112) extends between adjacent ends of the pair of parallel slot sections (108, 110). The card carrying mailing form according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which card slots are formed from substantially closed cuts.

Inventors: BRETL ROBERT J, HILL GREGORY S, HILL JEFFREY L, BRETL, ROBERT J., HILL, GREGORY S., HILL, JEFFREY L.
Applicants: DYNETICS ENG CORP, DYNETICS ENGINEERING CORPORATION
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B42D5
IPC codes: B42D15, B43M3, B42F5